The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-06-12
A MODERN BLUEBEARD
Remarkable Marital Adven-
lures of a Tammanyite.
A NEW WORKERS FICKELENEss
The Death of John B. Holmes. OF New
JerseV, Develops Story With
out . Parallel.

PLAINFIELD, n. J., May 29.-The story
of John B. Holmes, the wealthy New
York surveyor, and one time leading
hight il Tammany Hall and metropoli-
tan politics, is probably unparalleled
He died last week at bis big farm on the
Orange Mountains, or rather in Wash
ington Valley, near by, and over his
handsome estate has begun fight by
his numerous wives. Holmes pretty
country home has seen many mistresses
during the past twenty-five years. His
former wives have been appearing on
the scene at the rate of one and two q
day since the morning he died. All but
the last have children. and the claims
and counter-claims likely to arise in
disentangling the muddle have made the
lawyers il the vicinity smile. 70 COM
! plicate the matter there have been ar
rests and threats of other arrests, and
the end is not yet. At one time there
were three women staying at the home
stead, who claimed Holmes as their lord
and master, while his lifeless body lay
cold in death in the room below, and a
single candle fickered at his head.
SUSPICIOUS OF FOUL PLAY.
On account of Holmes checkered
career the announcement of his sudden
death aroused suspicious. DR.. K. T.
Fritts, who had attended him for few
days previously, refused to give death
certificate, and said that when he haa
last seen Holmes alive he was apparently
well. Coroner Sutphen, of Someri lille,
was then summoned, and also refused to
give death certificate until last Satur-
day, when one was made out in proper
form, alleging cerebral apoplexy as the
cause Of death.
At the time of his death there were
present Holmes young and latest wife,
Katie; his young son, Charles; and his
Oldest son, Wallace, and his last mother
in-law, Mrs. Meadows. Three hours af-
ter his death Katie took the train for
New York and consulted her lawyer.
On his advice she Immediately removed
all the maps, which are said to be very
valuable, and the papers from Holmes
Office. While this was going on Mrs.
Browning, of New York City, who as
Mary Sullivan. was for a number of
years one of Holmes wives, had gone to
Plainield, III response to telegram
from her son Charles. Mrs. Meadows
was dunn bfounded when Mrs. browning
made her appearance. So, also, was
Katie, when she returned in the even
ing with her father and two brothers.
The next day was spent by the two
wives in discussing the situation, and
on Saturday Katie again went to New
York to consult her lawyer. As q re
suit she informed Mrs. Browning that
she must seed quarters elsewhere. This
lady stayed snort time longer to show
that she could not be bulldozed, and
then took her abode with Mrs. Gordon,
aneighbor.
The only wife at the funeral last Mon
doy was Katie. Holmes five children
were there, but their mothers remained
away for reasons best known to them
selves. His first wife and her daughter
knew nothing of his death, and were not
present.
DOMESTIC aRoIIs.
On the evening of that day Katie, the
last wife, appeared before justice Austin
and made complaint against Hannah
Williamson and Mary Browning, two Of
her predecessors, and their children
Grace, Harry, Walter and Wallace
Wright and Charles Sullivan. In the
meantime the two women had returned
to New York, and the constables could
only find the children. They were
brought before the Justice. Katie, sup
ported by her mother, alleged that one
IF 10 hrnsifono1 - h1p
her; that they claimed various articles
of value in the house, and had otherwise
made it unpleasant for her. The act
that brought down the house occurred
when young Sullivan, IL years of age,
demanded the key to the library, which,
being granted, he proceeded to make a
frontier fort out of the room, and in
sepulchral tones threatened to shoot the
latest usuper of his mothers place
shouln she testify in court against her
The two women had departed peacefully
early in the afternoon for New York, and
the children agree in their stories of how
the afternoon passed. The Justice could
find nothing on which he could hold the
Wright children, but concluded that the
11-year-old Sullivan boy needed $50
bonds to assure his keeping the peace.
The little fellow was too much frightened
to do or say anything, and was led away
to the lookup for the night.
FORMER WIVES on THE SCENE.
In the morning the Wright children
telegraphed for their mother and Mrs.
Browning. The ladies arrived on the
noon train, not knowing they were rush
ing into the arms of q warrant. Mrs.
Browning and her counsel sought the
Justices Office to learn the true facts IN
the case, but no justice was to be found.
The officer present eyed Mrs. Browning
and concluded he had warrant for her
arrest, but as he did not know whether
she was Mrs. Williamson or Mrs. Brown
ing he considerably asked her. She
very wisely concluded she was nameIess
/ for the time being, and her counsel
quietly walked away with her before the
eyes of the officer. Later in the day the
LAWYER succeeded in getting the boy re-
leased, and the whole party again lett
place on the night train.
On Wednesday afternoon Mrs. Anna
NJ. Holmes, of Brooklyn, the genuine
first wife, arrived in Plainfeld, in COM